All hospitals, virus centres told to follow fire safety norms

In a letter sent to the hospitals and the virus care centres, director of Public Health Srinivasa Rao said many private hospitals are utilising hotels as COVID-19 care centres where patients with mild symptoms are kept in isolation. He referred to the fire in a hotel turned into a COVID-19 care centre in Vijayawada where 10 people lost their lives.

Against the backdrop of a fire at a COVID-19 care centre in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh on Sunday, health authorities in Telangana have asked all hospitals/COVID-19 care centres to strictly follow fire safety norms. In a letter sent to the hospitals and the virus care centres, director of Public Health Srinivasa Rao said many private hospitals are utilising hotels as COVID-19 care centres where patients with mild symptoms are kept in isolation.

He referred to the fire in a hotel turned into a COVID-19 care centre in Vijayawada where 10 people lost their lives. "In view of this, as mandated all hospitals/COVID-19 care centres are instructed to follow fire safety norms.

Any violation will be viewed seriously, the letter said. There are 36 hotels, which arefunctioning as COVID-19 care centres, attached to various hospitals in the state, official sources said.

As many as 10 patients died at a star hotel converted into a coronavirus treatment centre in Vijayawada when panic-stricken inmates tried to flee from a fire suspected to have been caused by an electrical short circuit. A copy of the letter from the director of Public Health was sent to all district Collectors, state Fire Services Department and other officials.